Your property may be subject to a technical category by the Department of Building and Housing. The technical categories – TC1 (grey), TC2 (yellow) and TC3 (blue) describe the foundation systems most likely to be required, if you need to repair or rebuild your foundations. “Technical category not applicable” means that normal consenting procedures will apply.

If you have experienced any damage, you should continue to work with EQC and your insurer. Ongoing EQC and insurance property claim assessments are continuing on a property by property basis. For more information regarding EQC timeframes for assessments, visit the EQC website.

Depending on the degree of damage to your property, your insurer or EQC (through its project management office – Fletcher EQR) will provide a suitably qualified contractor to manage the repair or rebuild. If EQC has assessed your claim and the amount payable to repair your home is between $10,000 and $100,000 plus GST your claim will be referred to Fletcher EQR.

Someone from your local Fletcher hub will then be in touch about the repair of your property. For more information about the Fletcher EQR process visit www.eqr.co.nz This process is the same if you use your own preferred accredited contractor. If your claim has been assessed by EQC as over EQC’s cap for the property, you should then deal with your private insurer.

For those who are not part of an insurer's project management office or have opted out of the EQR process, it is suggested your next step should be to engage a building professional to help you identify a repair or rebuild solution that will comply with the Building Code.

If you intend to engage your own building professional, you should look for someone such as a licensed building practitioner, a chartered professional engineer or registered architect. You can find a list of licensed building practitioners on the MBIE, Building and Housing Group website.